Of all the media I've produced, this is probably the one that will outlive me. At least I hope so (no, I'm not planning on going anytime soon, but I'm getting up there ). This, and Do Not Call CQ on Repeaters The background/history is detailed on this web page from HamRadioNow. It includes a link to the text of the poem (feel free to reprint it), and audio versions with and without music. You can play the 'no music' version on a net, or read it yourself (watch your 3-minute timer!). Maybe pass it along on your club/group's website or facebook page. 73 and Happy Holidays! Gary K4AAQ
Ham's Night Before Christmas is as nice like the years before, thanks for that. And the video about the CQ at the repeaters is nice too. Here I want to give some extensions or additional information about. Dont think that nobody is at the repeater because its quiet. Always take your time to make a contact. Mostly QSOs can get longer at VHF / UHF and to stop is impolite. Try to make a contact more than once, twice or more. You will be heard, but often operators have other things to do. So they will come on the air later. When nothing is going on and no activity is to hear, produce right activity. For example when you have a ham radio question, bring it on the repeater. Sometimes just one reply will come by. Those QSOs can get longer and after a short while the crowd shuffles in. Sometimes more listeners are there (check the QRZ counter), or people who wants to step into these new QSO circle. Often it can take one hour up to much more, when operators are in the mood to talk about this or that. Its not to provoke a QSO, these people which come by will have fun in to talk or to listen. And when somebody hears a lonesome CQ and got time, its better to answer. Maybe it can be a big friendly QSO behind.
@K4AAQ Great poem, Gary, thanks for sharing! @DO1FER Well, Cornelius, we the fellow CB'ers have raised couple UHF relays (I'm proud to be the sysop) and set completely different rules on them: anything that falls within the official (CEPT/local) rules, informal code of conduct, and friendliness is permitted. Wanna call CQ? Do it. Wanna test new radio? Do it. A beginner makes one's first call? Damn yes, do it! We do not offend newcomers and allow them to do whatever they want as long as, just like I said, it does not break the rules or is not rude. So, we allow CQ on the relays - why not? My favourite joke is to call CQ DX. There are plenty relays for smellfunguses (we name it the gatekeeper syndrome) to 'rule' on them but never on our ones.
You know your in deep when you smile the whole way, from the signal to Santa, working "Good DX" from his sleigh! Thank you and Merry Christmas, 73!
@UT7UX Many ham operators were CBers in the past. German history in ham radio showed what it really is here in my area.
Merci pour ce partage, J'ai envoyé ma lettre au Père Noel en lui demandant qu'il m'apporte un tube de propagation pour mon récepteur de trafic Bon Noel Radio Electrique à tous Best regards from France
What a Classic Gary, thank you for hard work and devotion to Amateur Radio! I will NEVER tire of watching this, it takes me back to my Novice days.
I'm pretty sure CB, unlike abusing local VHF/UHF relays with Junkfeng radio, is near perfect playground for an OP to get some experience and become pretty advanced HAM, however I became a CB'er after getting my HAM ticket so I cannot prove that by my own. I just love anything transceiving, having an antenna, and not extremely illegal like freebanding is. CB, one says? Yeah CB is great!
Translation ! Thank you for sharing this, I sent my letter to Santa asking him to bring me a propagation tube for my traffic receiver Happy Radio Electric Christmas to all Best views from France
Thanks for sharing Garry Merry Christmas and a very happy new year 2025 don't you worry you have another 50 years to go. 73
I loved to be a CBer in the past, too. To this my experience in professional communications for disaster control widen my intrest in this also. And in the 1990s I tried my first steps in digimodes at the 11M band with a 1K2 modem. From Packet Radio to RTTY, POCSAG and the ZVEI 5-tone alarm-sloops, Hell-Writer and so on were much possibel. So HAM-Radio wasnt so far away.
Mele Kalikimaka and a Hau'oli Makahiki Hou ! Take the Keiki ( Children ) to see the ' Moana ' Movie. A Fun Movie for Everyone ! KH6/G3SEA
